Disclaimer:
I don't own Knuckles, Robo Knux, the Freedom Fighters, and all other official characters used in this story. They belong to Sega. It's a shame, isn't it? However, I do own Az, Jade, etc, so don't use them without my permission... or I'll... um... let RK deal with you! Yeah…
Thanks to The Outcasts for being my editor. Fear her, NOW!

Note: Eliza is pronounced é-lee-za, and Az is not a self-insert. I'd never forgive myself if she was. She used to be my fursona, but then I liked her, and changed her into a character. A shiny one.

                                                   Strength always comes with a price.

Simplicity

The girl stumbled again, her weary legs wobbling crazily.

"My name is Az Spyre. I'm a freak... a hybrid; half armadillo, and half chameleon. I was never normal from the start. My parents... my mom is a sneaky chameleon, and my dad is a straightforward armadillo. My mom... she ran away from home with me when I was 5. We went to an abused woman's shelter, although we weren't the ones abused. Don't get we wrong.. my dad is a great person, although he is harsh, he would never abuse anyone. My mom made the whole thing up.. I don't know why. SHE'S the abuser. Anyway, we lived there for a year, then we got ourselves an actual home. My grandfather, Joseph... on my eighth birthday, approached me. He was sick, and soon to be dead. He took my hands in his, and told me,
"Az, you have the making of a good Guardian." He told me about the Void, a place, not on Mobius, but linked to it. The Void is a vast, empty area. There were three parts of it, The Zone of Silence, a place where a wizard named Ixis Naugus resided. It was sealed off from the rest of the Void, and inhabitable, evidently. The Center of the Void, is the most dangerous. For, in there, inhabit extremely powerful demons, so powerful, that if they were to be released on Mobius, they would transform it into a desolate, and dead planet. There are items called Power Crystals around, and when they are activated, they transport the nearest Mobians to the Centre of the Void. In fact, how I even got into this mess is tied in with that. Then there is the Rest, just space, really. Although, in there resides a power crystal, a Super Emerald. Only Elite Guardians know of these Super Emeralds. They are scattered across all space and time. When all seven of them are brought together, the holder wields magnificent power, greatly superior to the Chaos Emeralds. It is a pale blue. Nobody outside the Elite Guardian line knows of them. Anyway, back to my story. The recruiting age for the Elite Guardians start at 16, but Grandpa was desperate. Evil was approaching Mobius, and he needed a heir. So, he trained me. My first task, was a bit after my training had ended. A squirrel, I believe his name was Ray, appeared, in the Center of the Void. I could sense his presence. I opened a portal to it, you see, only the Elite Guardian can access his/her area. The only other people, are the Council, a group of old, wise Mobians. I landed in the Center, my Grandpa watching me. I managed to escape the demons, and opened a portal to Mobius. I can only do that in the Void, and I have no idea where it will end up. After 2 minutes, the location changes. I left Ray near.. a big city. It looked like Mobotropolis to me, but... it was all dark, and murky. I know now that it was Mobotropolis, after the evil scientist, Dr. Robotnik took over. A black hedgehog found Ray. The demons were beating him up, so he was badly injured. He was unconscious most of the time, but opened his eyes near the end. Grandpa was proud of me. He taught me some more, then a few weeks later, died. I went to his funeral...
Anyway, a couple of years later, I find out that I have a disease, a rare and dangerous one, called Chronoporosis. Apparently, 2000 years ago, it used to be a bone disease, but now it takes over the body completely... particularly the throat, blocking air passageways. When I was ten, I was on Intravenous for 6 months, and I have been on antibiotics since. I have pills, but they're not that effective. Anyway, my mom was still abusive. Emotionally. We'd get into all kinds of fights. I have a low self-esteem.. and her remarks didn't help things. My dad… he's harsh, but a really good person. Me being an Elite Guardian is the only self-worth I have... Okay, maybe that was a bit extreme. It's not the only thing, but still... Let us move on to the present, or close to it. I'm 14 now… turned 14 in October, although I spent my birthday trekking through a desert. Months ago, I sensed another poor soul entering the Void. I couldn't just have left him there, could I? Nooo... So, I went there. He was an armadillo, older, and bigger than me. Some gut feeling told me he was important... and I don't ignore my hunches. I sometimes have visions… of the future. I can't control them. They randomly appear in my sleep, and I wake up, somehow knowing where to go and what to do to prevent them… because 99% of the time, it's terrible events.. So, I bent down to pick him up. But I couldn't. I used to be strong, healthy, and fast. Then my sickness took over, and now I'm weak, sick, and, well, average in speed. The demons advanced on me, having me cornered. They hate their preys being taken away from them, and they despise Guardians. It was originally we Elite Guardians that created the Void, and trapped them inside it. I managed to distract them, with my chameleon camouflaging. I couldn't fight them. I'm no Wonder Woman. Okay, I do know how to fight, and I have a small, magic attack, but I could do nothing to hurt them. I opened a portal, and shoved the 'dillo in, even though I had no idea where he ended up. (A/N: That's how he got into Eliza's village, so beaten up, in Enter: Eliza.) Okay, the portal was getting smaller, too small for the demons to escape with. And they were more concerned with me. They think, that if the Guardian dies without a heir, the Void would weaken enough for them to escape. Idiots.. I tried to escape, I really did. But they had me cornered. I had only one option- to exit through the portal the armadillo had. I think he saw my face... Not good, we're supposed to be unknown. Oh well.. Anywho, I dived through it just before it closed. However, while doing so, I got hit with one of the demons' attacks. A curse. It would slowly kill me. The only cure was pure Chaos Energy. So, I landed, in the middle of nowhere. I knew what the curse was, and the cure. I even knew what the cure was, and where it was located. The Master Emerald, situated on the Floating Island, an island in the sky inhabited mostly by echidnas... To the average Mobian, the F.I., and its echidnas are just a myth, but we Guardians know better. So, I began my trek, searching for it, or at least a city with teleporters in it. That's what I've been doing these past months. Walking aimlessly around, looking for a teleporter. The infection grows worse... I NEED that Emerald...

Az used a torn branch to support herself.

"C'mon, Azy. You gotta keep going."

She pushed ahead. Something protruded from the ground, getting bigger with every step she took.
Could it be? Were her eyes betraying her?

"A CITY!"

A rather large one, in fact. It was a sure thing it'd have teleporters. She pulled her tattered cloak around her, relief sweeping over her.

"YES!"

Her garments attracted unwanted attention, as she staggered into civilization. But at this point, Az didn't care. After a bit of exploring, the young hybrid managed to locate the Communications Building.
She entered it.

"Where to?" a young lady, no older than 23 inquired, tapping her ponytail.

"Echidnaopolis, the Floating Island."

"Um, miss-"

"Just do it."

"Very well." The other female, a vixen, punched in the codes,

"Don't blame me if you end up in the middle of nowhere. Everyone knows the Floating Island is just a myth."

"Heh," Az smirked to herself, "She said if. Maybe it's more than a myth to her."

Light clouded her vision, and she scrunched her eyes shot for the process.

Com Room, Echidnaopolis, the Floating Island

Mighty checked the clock. It was almost time for his shift.
Suddenly, the computer beeped.

>Incoming Mobian. Accept Y/N?<

He jabbed at the 'Y' key.

A figure materialized before him, clad in a robe, that concealed it well.

"Who are you?"

"I'm myself," she responded curtly, brushing past him. The figure was female, that he knew.

"Why are you here?" He unsuccessfully attempted to grab her arm, but she dodged, leaving. He could have sworn he saw big, blue eyes in the darkness in her hood. He took a minute to process the encounter, then took off.

Az sighed in relief. She closed her eyes, searching. Ah, there it was. The Master Emerald. She could feel it. Following the sense, she made her way to the Hidden Palace...

…And arrived, half an hour later, in the Chaos Emerald.

"Funny," Az thought, "This was too easy..."

She shot an uneasy glance around her. Nothing suspicious. She didn't hear anything either. But her eye caught on to something.
The Master Emerald! It radiated, with beauty, basking the Chaos Chamber in a green glow. Awed, she moved forwards, her steps quiet, and rhythmic, as if she were in a trance. She had almost reached it, when a large, red blur rushed at her, tackling her.

"I should have known," Az muttered under her breath, "It's the M.E's Guardian, no doubt."

He was an echidna, burly, and taller than her. His fur was blood red, and he had a white crescent marked across his chest. He wore nothing but thick boxing gloves, and sneakers. Also, he was currently on top of her. Az kicked out from beneath him, striking him in the stomach. The echidna, who we know as Knuckles, winced, and tried to stop her from squirming.

"He's not very strong," Knux contemplated, teeth clenched. Az could tell she was fighting a losing battle. She concentrated, forming a light ball. The ball was white, and about as big as her head. Knux didn't know that. But what he did know, is that his face was stinging terribly from it, and he got up, writhing in pain. Az took advantage of the moment.

"Who are you?" he snapped.

"Myself."

If Knuckles hadn't been so caught up in the heat of the battle, he might have noticed that the voice of the mysterious being was feminine. She leapt onto the walls, then, using them to add power to her attack, sprang. She tackled him to the ground, and didn't hesitate to let her fists fly. But Knuckles was ready. Before she could do much damage, Knuckles kicked out, and Az went flying across the room. Both adversaries rose to their feet, and Knuckles rushed her. Before she could block, or dodge, the young Guardian found herself in the air, pinned against the wall. Her feet were dangling precariously in the air, and she was at eye level with the echidna.

"Time to unravel the masked horror," Knuckles reached for the hood, pulled it off, then gasped. His eyes widened, and he almost dropped her.

"Y-y-you," he babbled, "You're a girl!"

Az couldn't contain herself.

"And that's the discovery of the year, folks."

He murmured apologies, blushing madly. Az was taken aback, but she quickly recovered.

"Er.. okay, could you put me down, please?" She was nervous in the air.

Her voice seemed to snap him back into reality.

"Why were you after the Master Emerald?"

"I-" 

"KNUX!" An all-too familiar voice sliced her sentence in half.

"Mighty, I-"

Mighty held up his hand, motioning for silence. He paced towards Az, his face set in awe.

"It's her!"

"Wha?" Knuckles seemed puzzled.

"I'd recognize that face any day. That's the girl that saved me from the Void!" (A/N: At the end of my Knuckles Chaotix adaptation, the one that I will never write.)

A faint smile passed across her face.

"I remember you. You made it out alright."

"I don't even know your name! How can I repay you?"

"You could get me down from here, for a start."

"Oh, right! It's okay, Knux. Put her down."

He lowered her to ground level. She kneeled down, and patted it with her hand.

"Oh, ground. I missed you."

She noticed the two guys staring at her.

"Oh, right! I'm Az. Az Spyre." 
She removed her cloak, revealing herself. Az was, indeed a hybrid, half armadillo and half chameleon. Her fur.. scales.. whatever she had were pure white. Her shell, ears, and nose belonged to the armadillo, while the tail and horn were of the chameleon. She had big, blue eyes, and shoulder-length blonde hair. She wore a t-shirt, baby blue in colour, and navy jeans, that were in need of a washing. A pair of sneakers peeked out from underneath her jeans.

"Are you a chameleon and armadillo hybrid?"

"Yeah. Just your average freak."

"I'm Mighty, and this is Knuckles."

"Hey."

She suddenly groped at her chest, flinching.

"Are you okay?"

"I need... the M.E.," she gasped. Knux butted in.

"No."

"Let her go, Knux."

"But-"

"Trust me."

Knuckles frowned, and watched Az walk over to it. She placed her hand against it. Its glow intensified, for a little bit. She removed herself from it.

"Much better." She then turned to Knux.

"It's so shiny! Can I keep it? Please?"

"No."

"Aw... but I'll take good care of it! I'll feed it three times a day, and take it for walks..."

"What did you do to the Master Emerald?"

"Oh, that. I just absorbed some Chaos Energy."

"Why?"

She frowned.

"I'd better start from the beginning, then."

"Okay..."

"I'm a Guardian..."

Knuckles perked up.

"What kind?"

"Not like you... a different class. I'm an Elite Guardian, while you're a Lesser Guardian. We Elite Guardians... guard places... or things... more important than the Less-"

"Wait a second," Knuckles objected, "The Master Emerald could destroy the planet if in the wrong hands."

"The Demons that inhabit the Void could destroy the universe if they got a hold of the Sup- never mind."

"What were you saying? Carry on!"

"I can't. Knuckles, while the Master Emerald could alter the fate of Mobius, but... there is more than Mobius out there."

"What do you mean?"

"Hundreds of other habitable planets. And there are also things we call 'Alternate Realities.' For example, you may be Knuckles Prime, because this is Mobius Prime, but, there may be fifty other Knuckles in existence, some the same, and some completely different. They are... shadows... mirrors of this world." (A/N: I'm talking about different verses, other authors' representations. Mine is not the 'Prime', the 'Real one', but it will be for my fictions? Don't like it? As a certain MechaSonic2 would say, tough monkeys!)

Knuckles and Mighty took a moment to absorb this.

"Freaky."

She nodded.

"You were saying?"

"Oh, yes. I was chosen to guard the Void."

"I've heard of you people," Knux interrupted, once again, "But aren't you a bit young to be a Guardian?"

Az bobbed her head up and down.

"Guardians are knighted at age 16. They usually come from family. But... nobody showed any signs.. My grandfather was dieing.. I showed the signs... so at Age 8, I was trained, and I became a Guardian. A few months after I became official Guardian, despite the complaining from the Council, Grandpa died... "

"How old are you now?" Mighty wanted to know.

"I'm fourteen. Anywho, back to my story. If someone enters the Heart of the Void, I will feel it. Such was the case when Mighty did. So, I went there, but the Demons, who were killing him, had planned on my appearance. They ambushed me... I barely got Mighty out.. I couldn't check if he had gotten to safety. I couldn't even get back home. They had me surrounded. I escaped through the portal at the last second.. I can't control portals.. they change location at every two minutes, I believe. Don't think I can warp all around the world. The only ones I can make are to the Void. When I'm in the Void.. I manipulate its power to make a portal. The only ones I can control are the ones leading back to where I entered from. Okay? It's not me... Anyway, I was dumped in the middle of nowhere. Before I escaped, I was hit with a demon's curse... and I knew the only cure was pure Chaos Energy. I also knew of the best source for it- the Master Emerald. I spent months trekking to a city with teleporters. So I got here... and you know the rest."

"...Interesting," was all the two could come up with.

"I'm gonna go talk to Ray," Mighty stated, "And I'll leave you two Guardians to get acquainted."

He dashed off, adrenaline pumping through his veins.
Az walked over to the Master Emerald, running her hand over it.

"Pretty."

"Very."

Knux approached.

"Uh... Sorry about before..."

"It's fine... I'm sorry."

There was a moment of silence, then Knux spoke up, grinning mischievously:

"Want a lift up there?"

"No."

"Aww... why not?" he was remembering her squeamish response to being lifted.

"Because I do- GAH! STOP THAT!"

She was in the air again,

"Don't do that!"

"What?" Knuckles feigned innocence, "Don't do this?" And he lifted her higher. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he wanted her to laugh. She had looked unhappy.

"Yeah! Stop that!"

"Okay!"

But instead of dropping her, he shifted her to a carrying position, left arm under her knee, and right one just below her torso.

"KNUX!"

"You shouldn't be using your strength to walk," he grinned, "You've been through a lot. So let me be your... wheelchair. Where to, captain?"

"The moon."

"Sure!" And he ran off, miffed hybrid in his arms. He spent the day showing her some of the sights of the Floating Island, nothing important, mind you, but pretty places. Her sour mood wore off, and although she was less than happy, she enjoyed what she saw. Eventually, they got to meet the Chaotix.

"You two having fun?" queried a snickering Espio.

"Yes!"

"No."

"This is Az. She's fuzzy."

"D- er... dang straight." 

"I'm Vector. It's a pleasure to meet you, Az," Vector said smoothly, shaking her hand graciously. He had picked up a thing or two from Charmy.

"Thank you..."

"Huh," Espio thought, "He's being all suave. Well, two can play at that game."

"Good evening, I'm Espio. How are you?"

"Well... apart from being exhausted, starving, in desperate need of a wash, battered, I'm good. How about you?"

"Heh, I'm fine, thank you."

"It is you!" Ray exclaimed, eyes shining, "Thank you so much! I'm Ray, by the way."

"Mighty should be coming along anytime now, with Eliza," the echidna informed her.

"Who's Eliza?"

"My sister."

"Ah."

"Here she is now."

"HEY!" The little echidna arrived, eager and cheerful.

"Hey there, cutie," Az smiled, thrusting out a hand.

"It's very nice to meet you, Miss..?"

"Just Az, thank you."

"As you probably know, I am known throughout the island for being an Eliza."

Knux noticed her exhaustion, and offered an arm.

"C'mon, let's get you cleaned up, fed and rested."

The hybrid gave no objections, but allowed herself to be lead to the echidna's house.
Once there, Knuckles guided her to the bathroom, supplied her with towels, soap, shampoo, and a fresh pair of clothes.

"We'll prepare supper while you're washing up," he informed her.

Half an hour later, Az emerged from the bathroom, refreshed and clean. (A/N: She smelled all clean and nice, too. :D)
Knuckles and the Chaotix were waiting for her.
She seated herself, and Ray pushed the bowl of mashed potatoes in her general direction. Thanking him, she deposited a few scoops of the warm substance onto her plate. Mighty placed a slice of meatloaf beside the potatoes, and the rest of the islanders helped themselves.
Az savoured her food, remembering how long it had been since her last home cooked meal.

"This is delicious," she commented, between bites.

Knux gave a little nervous grin.

"Not really... it was hastily prepared."

Az looked at him in astonishment. 

"You cooked this?"

He nodded, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"It was one of the Guardian skills I learned while in training. I had to learn how to support myself, y' know."

"Cool!"

The meal went on, accompanied by dinner table chatter. By the time they had finished, Ray and Eliza had eaten three servings, Az, Mighty, and Espio four, Knuckles five, and Vector had topped them all with a grand total of eight.
Az acquainted with the guest bed room, and was soon was asleep between the covers, as the others cleaned up.

"You gonna let her stay?" Espio inquired of his friend.

"She'll stay until she recovers..." Knuckles responded, turning on the dishwasher. (A/N: Such luxuries! Okay, I'll shut up and let you read.)

"And we'll see from there."

"Heh." Espio tried to think of a witty remark, but nothing came to mind.

Usually, Knuckles would be wary of newcomers. But there was something odd about this girl, something in her eyes that showed that she had gone through similar hardships, as he had. Or maybe he was just trying to make it up to her for attacking her. He didn't know. He didn't care. Mighty said that she could be trusted, and Mighty had never let him down. 
Az spent three days healing, and the others made sure they were pleasant. Knuckles showed her the beauties of the Floating Island, but, as you know, time flies by, and soon Az was as good as new.
On the night of the third day, Knuckles and Az were sitting up on the roof, a favourite spot for both of them.

"It's really nice here," Az said softly, relishing the sunset with her sight.

"It is.." Knux was getting agitated.

"I'm quite attached to this island.. I'm sorry to go."

"You don't have to, you know," the sentence was uttered quite hastily. She turned to face him, eyes shining.

"Really?"

"Yeah.. you're nice, and funny.. and I still owe you so much..."

"These past days have been wonderful, Knux. Thank you so much.. I feel as though I've finally been accepted."

There was another reason Az wanted to stay. A deep instinct inside of her was telling her that she would be needed, and Azi never ignored her instincts.

"Why wouldn't you be accepted?" Knuckles questioned.

"Look at me, Knux. I'm a hybrid."

"So?" 

"Everyone has given me grief about it..."

"Well," Knux fingered at his namesakes, "I'm not exactly normal myself."

"Yeah.."

"So.. you're staying?"

"Yes, but first I have to visit my parents first... to let them know I'm alive, and of my decision."

"Where do they live?"

"A town called Nikel."

"Is it in the Aquacity area?"

"Thirty minute walk."

"Okay.. we have teleporters going to Aquacity. I'll go with you."

"Knux, you don't-"

"No, it's fine. I need some exercise."

"Okay.."

"We'll leave tomorrow."

*****

Sure enough, they did leave the next day. Azillen's parents were divorced, so she visited her father first, and the visit went smoothly. He was disappointed, but since it was his father who had appointed Az as Guardian, he knew of it, and understood. However, the visit with Az's mother went nowhere as subtly.

"Where have you been, Azillen?! We thought you were dead!"

"I... uh.." Azi's mind couldn't seem to think of any excuses. 

"You ran away, didn't you?!"

"No.. I was captured by Robotn-"

"Don't lie to me, child! After all I've done for you, you lie to me!?"

"NO!" Az indeed was lying, but she couldn't tell her mother the truth, she was strictly forbidden to.

But the chameleon was clearly not listening.

"After everything I've done for you!" Az was beginning to get angry.

"What have you done for me, mother?!"

"I took care of you, took you to hospita-"

"YOU MADE UP HALF OF THOSE DISEASES!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" The woman screeched. "You rotten child! This is how you treat your mother?!"

Az was seething, heaving with rage.

"I can see the hate in your eyes, child," the white chameleon almost sneered.

"THAT'S NOT HATE! IT'S RAGE!"

"Should I call Children's Aid Society?"

"Leave C.A.S. out of this!" Az knew that her mother was sly, and could easily trick the organization, and abuse the system.

"Yes..." she was egging the hybrid on, "I can see it now. Violent delinquent child attacks-"

"I AM NOT VIOLENT!"

"Your father's been messing around with you, hasn't he? He's turning you against me."

"LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS! HE NEVER DID ANYTHING! YOU MADE EVERYTHING UP!"

"Don't blame me for what he did."

"SHUT UP!" Azi screeched. She was sick and tired of her mother spawning lies to incriminate her father.

Az made a superhuman effort to calm herself, still breathing heavily.

"I'm leaving, mother."

"Go, then!" The older female almost screamed, "Go screw up someone else's life."

"What?" Az's eyes widened, her anger ebbing away.

"You heard me," she hissed. "You're not worth it. Curse you, for all the pain you've caused me. I hope you feel the same thing."

"Fine." Az turned away.

The chameleon was getting frustrated now. 

"I knew it," she hissed, and Az rotated to face her angry parent, "I knew you would turn out like this. I mean.. what good could come from a half-breed?"

Half-breed. A very rude insult to hybrids, that had been Az's nickname for years. But hearing her own mother call her that, was too much for her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she couldn't seem to push them down.

"Is that what you really think of me?"

"YES! Cry, Az, cry like I have cried for years because of you!"

Az couldn't take anymore. She turned, and ran, never looking back. She halted to a stop under a tree, collapsing.

"Don't cry, Az," she ordered herself, trying to stop the tears from flowing. It was no use. Tears continued to flow, pattering on the ground, and her face stung.

"STUPID GIRL! STOP CRYING!" But she couldn't.

"Az?" Came Knux's voice from behind her, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," her voice cracked, "Leave me alone."

She tried to hide her tear-stained face from him, but he had already seen. Knux was getting quite nervous. He had no idea how to act in these type of situations, and he turned to leave. But something stopped him. Something inside him told him that she needed him, no matter how much she denied it.

"No."

"I'm fine," she nearly choking in mid-sob, and it was clear that she was far from fine, "Go away."

"No."

He knelt down beside her, heart hammering inside of him. He was slowly gaining confidence, even if he had no idea what to do.

"GO AWAY!"

She collapsed into more hysterical crying. Knux drew his breath in, butterflies biting at his stomach.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing."

He leaned in, and put his arms around her. After all, this was what Mighty did when Amy was crying. He expected resistance from her, but after a moment of stillness, she slumped forwards in his embrace, burying her face in his chest.

"Thank you.." she sniffed.

Knux was grateful she didn't see him redden. Jittery as he was, he was in control. He slipped his hand on her back, rubbing it softly while he rocked her gently, as he would a baby.

"It's okay.."

Despite his inexperience, Az was assured, and she relaxed.

"What happened?"

"I.." She broke down, again.

"Fight?"

A nod.

"Mom?"

It was clear she was ashamed, so he told her:

"It's okay to cry, Az. "

For the first time, she raised her head to look directly at him.

"Hypocrite. "

The assault was unexpected, and Knux couldn't produce an answer. Instead, he concentrated on calming her. It worked.

"Thank you, Knux. " She hiccupped a bit. "I've never had anything more than my pillow to comfort me." (A/N: The pillow STILL loves you.)

"Are you okay now?"

She bobbed her head up and down, allowing him to help her stand up.

"C'mon, we'll spend the night at Aquacity. Tomorrow, I'll take you to Knothole. "

*****

"WE DID IT!"

Sonic the Hedgehog pumped a triumphant fist into the air, as Bunnie Rabbot loaded the freshly-freed Mobians into a hover craft.

Sally Acorn smiled, giving him a high five.

"Call Tails, and let's scram, Blue."

"Sure thing."

He whipped his communicator out.

"Tails! You can come back now."

No response.

"Tails?"

This time, some static was heard.

Sonic panicked.

"What if something happened to him?"

"Look," Sally put in, "I'm sure he's fine. His communicator probably just ran out of batteries."

"I'm not! I'm going to find him."

"Soni-"

But it was too late. The hedgehog was already gone, in a burst of artificial wind.

****

"Hello?" Tails called out, uncertainly. Behind him, lay the useless communicator that, just as Sally had suggested, had run out of batteries. Miles was in a hangar, and although there were no visible signs of company, the little fox felt as though he was being watched. His thoughts flickered to Eliza, who had had a similar experience with-

"Robo Knux! I know you're there, so just come out already." In truth, Tails had no idea if the evil robot was there or not, but it was assuring to hear his own voice. He did let out a yelp of surprise, however, when the Mecha Bot in question dropped neatly in front of him.

"You called?"

"What do you want with me?"

"You're on my territory, kid."

Something glinted in his digital eyes, and Tails knew he was going to strike. The fox threw himself backwards, and instead on sinking into flesh, R.K.'s knuc-claws instead clanked against the ground. 
Tails started running, heart in his mouth.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he yelled out, fervently hoping that one of the Freedom Fighters was nearby. No such luck.
As Robo Knuckles came closer, Tails swerved to the right, leaping into a hovercraft. With shaky hands, the kitsune started it up, slamming his foot on the acceleration peddle.

"I don't think so."

With a burst of speed, Robo Knuckles surpassed the retreating craft, lowering to the ground as his hands clamped onto the front of the hover car. He pushed.
Tails could only watch in horror as his only way of escape halted to a stop.

Memories of Eliza's attacking flowed through his head. Squeaking in terror, he started to run, again. Steel fingers closed around his wrist, yanking him back. He fell, RK pinning him to the ground.

"You're not nearly as much fun to hunt as Eliza." 

"W-what are you going to do to me?" the poor fox asked, quivering.

"I'm going to test this dosage of Pneumonia of the Third Degree on you. But first.." A malevolent smile lit up the robot's features, as his fist came down.

Az woke up with a start.

"A vision…" she mumbled, untangling herself from the blankets.

She scrambled over to a sleeping Knuckles, trying to identify the two figures. There was a little fox, whose name was unknown to her- and a robotic echidna that looked suspiciously like her friend, and, was indeed called 'Robo Knux', as if to confirm her thoughts.

"Knux.. wake up." She shook her friend, and was then rewarded with a groan.

"Good morning, sunshine."

"Uhh.." he glanced at the clock, then fell out of bed.

"It's already afternoon! Let's go!"

Inside Az's head, a battle was going on. To ask or not to ask? Finally, her curiosity won.

"Knux… do you have a robotic double?"

He blinked at her.

"Yeah.. how'd you know?"

She couldn't produce a decent answer, so she just shrugged.

"Lucky guess."

He asked no questions.

"His name's RK. He's.. evil."

****

"Any luck?" Sally Acorn questioned of a dejected Sonic, as they both entered Knothole village.

A sigh. 

"Nothing."

"Cheer up," assured Bunnie, with feigned cheerfulness, "Ah'm sure he's in his lil' ol' hut, waitin' fer us."

Bunnie, as if to prove her theory, made her way into his hut, and sure enough, a lump in the fox's bed indicated his presence.
A smile crept across her muzzle, as she gently lifted the covers. As soon as she had done so, a shrill, resounding scream echoed throughout the village.

"BUNNIE!"

Sally and Sonic were beside her in a second, "What happened?"

Bunnie produced no coherent answer, but pointed a shaky finger in the direction of the bed.

Sally's eyes widened, and Sonic gave a strangled cry of:

"TAILS!" Right before rushing to his friend's side.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Every word of that sentence was pronounced gravely, 

"RK knows where Knothole is."

****

"Where is everyone?"

"KNUCKLES!"

Sally almost tackled him.

"What's going on?" he noticed the desperation in her eyes. She hadn't even bothered to acknowledge Az's presence, which was very un-Sally like.

"An attack." 

The echidna straightened.

"Is it-"

"R.K.," the chipmunk confirmed.

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure."

"Who?"

"Tails."

She beckoned for him to follow, dashing back to Tails's hut, which had become a mini-hospital. Dr. Quack was scurrying around frantically, while Sonic was kneeling by Tails, gloved hand clasped around his friend's.

"Can I see?"

A curt nod from the Princess allowed the echidna to inspect Miles.

"He's not as bad as Eliza was…"

Sonic looked up at the Guardian, eyes full of bitter pain.

"Shut up."

"I didn't mean it that way! What I meant, is that he'll heal easier."

"Well, HE'S NOT GETTING BETTER!" The hedgehog near screamed. Knuckles, after risking a peek at Tails's heart rate, which was slowing, frowned, then told his friend, in a soft voice:

"I understand how you feel, Sonic. I really do."

"No, you don't!"

Their eyes met, again.

"Don't forget who was the first victim of this psycho. And she was much worse off than Tails."

Sonic, knowing he had lost, dropped the conversation.

"It's late," Knuckles pointed out, giving a slight nod to Sally, "You should go to bed."

"NO! I'm staying here with Tails!"

Knuckles kneeled so that he and Sonic were eye-to-eye, and fixed with a fierce look.

"You're going to bed, now. Tails will be fine."

"But-"

Knux spoke like a stern father:

"NOW."

Knuckles had a commanding voice, and the hedgehog was too nervous and exhausted to oppose him. He let Bunnie lead him away.

"I'd kill for your leadership skills," Sally stated.

"You're not so bad off yourself, Princess."

She shot him an icy glare.

"Sally."

The subject was changed, as Knuckles's attention diverted to the fox.

"Doctor, what's going on? He should be improving."

"I don't know!" huffed Dr. Quack, "I'm working as fast as I can!"

"Well, frankly, doctor, if you don't act faster, he'll be dead by tomorrow." All this was said with quite a placid tone, never betraying the emotions beneath it.

"We don't know what's wrong with him!" Dr. Quack wailed. 

"Well-"

"Knux, I think we'd better leave. We're in his way." Sally took him by the arm, and towed him out of the hut.

Azillen, who had been unnoticed, until now, tapped him on the shoulder.

"What about pneumonia?"

"By Jove, girl, you may be right!"

He wafted through the medical supplies, then grit his teeth.

"I lack the supplies."

"Doctor, I meant-"

But before Az could finish her sentence, the doctor had hurried off. She sighed.

"I guess it's up to me, then."

She pulled out a rather thick medical encyclopaedia, leafing through it. Finally, she reached the 'P' page. Her finger slid down to the page, stopping at 'Pneumonia of the Third Degree.' (A/N: Don't ask. On Mobius, Pneumonia can be different, so =P)
An antidote!
Her eyes lit up, as she ventured to the cabinet, drawing a dull green liquid into her syringe. She bent down to grasp the boy's arm, and squeezed, as the veins in his arm began to show.

"Don't worry, little guy, you'll be fine."

She inserted the needle into a thick vein, slowly pressing on the syringe, as the antidote entered his battered body. Once it was done, she removed it, and dropped it into a medical garbage.

Robo Knuckles, whose position was unknown, had witnessed all this.

"Smart girl. A bit too smart for her own good. She may ruin my plans, and we can't have that, can we? Noo.. I think I should… remove her from the picture." A cruel smile played on his face.

"There you go, kid." The chameleon/armadillo hybrid smiled, then turned to the door. A familiar Mecha Bot was standing there, arms folded.

"Leaving? So soon? How rude."

She eyed him, evenly.

"You're that Robo Knux character, aren't you?"

"Perceptive."

"Do I get brownie points?"

"No, but you get a one way trip to RKland."

Robo Knux attempted to tackle her, but she barely moved out of the way. Her feet latched onto the wall, and she used it as a platform, lunging at the robotic echidna. RK, however, caught her in midair.

"It's best not to try that, my girl."

Az grit her teeth, forming an energy ball. She slammed it in his face, and he dropped her, crying out in surprise. It had caused little damage, but RK was annoyed. He ploughed into her, and, the next thing she knew, he had her pinned against the wall.
Miles, however, was now half-conscious, and his eyelids slid open, admitting the image of Azillen, held against the wall by Robo Knuckles.

"Sleep," R.K. ordered his captive, smoothly. His digital eyes rippled and wavered, obviously a form of hypnosis. Azi felt her eyes droop, and the last thing she saw, was the leering face of Robo Knux, who looked quite smug with himself.
Once he was sure she was asleep, RK took her, and flew off into the night sky.

****

If anyone had been nearby, they would have surely noticed the form of Robo Knuckles, hunched over a smaller creature, a female hybrid. If they had been closer, they would have seen RK's thoughtful expression, as he scanned her.
There was something strange about this girl… He couldn't quite put his knuc-claw on it. Neatly, he rolled up her sleeves, searching, perhaps for a marking of some sort. And he was rewarded, when his optical sensors locked onto a marking, perhaps a tattoo, on her upper right arm. He studied it.
He had been right.
There was something odd about this girl.
The tattoo was a Guardian mark. He ran his finger over it, just to be sure. And, as if to confirm his thoughts, the colour of it changed, from silver, to bright green.
There was no mistake about it. This girl was one of the fabled Elite Guardians. The robotic echidna scrutinized it. There was a pair of wings etched there as well, and he looked it up. 

"Old Mobian."

Indeed, the ancient echidna language, that had once belonged to all Mobians, was the language used.

"Computer, translation. Runitoa luro. Devoid of pain."

So, he had been right. She was the Guardian of the Void.

"How convenient."

Robo Knuckles just happened to be the only non-Guardian to know about the legendary Super Emeralds, a power far superior to that of the Chaos Emeralds, and possibly even more powerful than the Master Emerald itself. They were scattered across all space and time. However, there was one- in the Void. For the fourth time in this story, RK grinned, with sinister glee.
Now, it was just a matter of time…
Az chose that precise moment to wake up.

"Rise and shine."

"Where.. am.. I?"

R.K. pointed a robotic finger at her position.

"You're there."

Az was too cranky to think of a retort.

"What do you want with me?" she snapped.

"Tell me, aren't you a bit young to be a Guardian? Last time I checked, Guardians were chosen at the age of sixteen."

The hybrid immediately stiffened.

"I'm no Guardian," she informed him, in the calmest of voices. She had been prepared for this.

"Do you take me for some kind of idiot, Azillen Sippmayr?"

Her jaw dropped.

"How'd you…"

"I'm a smart robot," he interjected. "Answer my question, Az."

"I'm fourteen. I've been a Guardian since I was eight."

"Interesting."

"I repeat, what do you want?"

"Super Emerald."

Az's eyes widened, once again, but there was more shock this time.

"How.. How.." she spluttered.

"I have my sources."

"Well, they're certainly good sources."

"There is a Super Emerald in the Void. I want it. And you're going to help me find it."

She kept her aura of cool indifference.

"And if I refuse?"

He leaned in, so that they were nose-to-nose.

"You won't."

"Sorry to prove you wrong, RK, but I decline."

R.K. was taken aback, but he had a back-up plan.

"I have my ways of persuasion."

"Torture doesn't work on me," she returned, just as firmly. Her eyes locked onto RK's knuc-claws, which were traveling towards her head.

"And," she added, "As shiny as your knuc-claws may be, shoving them in my face won't do a thing."

So, she was much stronger than he had expected. Well… everyone had a weakness. It was only a matter of pinpointing Az's, and manipulating it. After securely binding her to a tree, he took off, saying:

"Wait here, Az. I'll be back in a bit."

Knothole:

Sonic quietly entered Tails's hut, peering at the doctor with urgent, pleading eyes.

"Is he better?"

The doctor smiled.

"Come, see for yourself."

Encouraged, the hedgehog dragged himself over to his friend, only to be met with quite a shock.

"Sonic!" said the little fox.

"T-tails," the hedgehog gasped, staring.

Dr. Quack came up behind them.

"How do you feel, Tails?"

"So so." The kid gave a little cough. The next thing he knew, Sonic wrapped his arms around his 'little brother'.

"Tails," he whispered, "Don't ever do that to me again."

"I won't, Sonic. I won't."

After a minute or so of embracing, Sonic stood up.

"How'd he get cured?"

"Well," Dr. Quack eyed the medical garbage, "Somebody gave him an antidote. It appears that his attacker injected him with infected blood. The sickness, if I'm not mistaken, was Pneumonia of the Third Degree."

"But who cured him?"

"That girl!" Miles piped up. "There was a girl!"

Sonic just stared blankly. The doctor, however, perked up.

"Ah yes... I don't know her name. I believe she is a friend of the Guardian… Knuckles. She was the one who originally suggested Pneumonia."

"What's the last thing you remember, lil' bro?"

"Um.."

"What happened in Robotropolis?"

"My communicator battery died. And RK hunted me…. I called for help, but nobody heard me, He cornered me, and then…" the boy trailed off, shuddering. The hedgehog patted his friend on the shoulder.

"It's okay, little buddy. He won't hurt you again."

Sally and Knuckles chose that time to enter.

"What's the report, doctor?"

But it was Tails who answered her.

"I'm still a bit sick."

After a joyous cry of: "TAILS!" from both of them, and a hug from Sally, they were ready to listen. The doctor resumed.

"Knuckles, was that girl… the chameleon/armadillo hybrid with you?"

"Who, Az? Yeah?"

The doctor repeated everything he had said earlier.

"Where is Az, anyway?"

"I saw her," Tails coughed, trying to remember. "She… she… was fighting RK."

All three Mobians let out a bark of alarm.

"RK was here?!"

"Yeah," Miles concluded. "The last thing I saw... was RK carrying her out of the hut."

Silence reigned.

"We have to find her. Who knows that that psycho robot's doing to her?"

*****

'A bit' turned out to be a few hours, in which Az just sat in her makeshift prison, staring a the sky, and thinking.

"I'm back," announced her captor, landing. "And look who I've brought with me!"

Az tilted her head in his direction, and was greeted with a squeak of:

"Az!" which came not from the Mecha Bot, but from someone entirely different.

"JADE!" Az cried out.

"Glad to see you recognize your cousin." 

Az gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "If you dare hurt her.. I swear I'll-"

"You, my friend," Robo Knuckles interrupted, "Are in no position to be threatening me. No harm will come to the girl if you comply."

"Like I'd trust you."

"You have my word, Azillen. I always keep my word."

"Sure you do."

Az could see that she had no choice. Jade, a green little chameleon no older than five, was clearly on the verge of crying.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I'm going into the Void to find the Super Emerald. And I'm taking you with me for assurance."

His hand closed around her shell, and he tanked her upright, snapping the cables that bound her in the process. He brought her forwards, so that they were nose-to-nose, again.

"And don't even think of double crossing me. You don't want to know what I do to double crossers. And that includes leaving me in the Void, or leading me to the Center."

Two plans foiled. But she had a third one.

"Fine."

Robo Knuckles restrained the little chameleon, as Az obediently opened up a portal. Then, half carrying, half shoving her, R.K. marched inside. The Super Emerald was cleverly hidden, and so, Az led R.K. on in random directions for hours, hoping that he would lose patience. But he didn't, and he knew her plan.

"Two can play at that game."

****

Jade had cried, for the past hour.
She wanted to go home.
She had even screamed out, hoping that someone would hear her.
Consequently, someone had heard her, and approached her. 

"Hi."

Jade glanced up at the newcomer, sniffing.

"Who are you?"

The stranger was a mix-breed, a lemony yellow one, at that. She was a cross between an echidna, a hedgehog, and a porcupine. She had short dreadlocks, and a set of thin spines running down her back. Her eyes were a soft blue, and she wore goggles on her head. She wore a blue t-shirt, and a long, white lab coat over it, with the label of 'Dr. Sipp'. She also had baggy black pants.

"Just call me SC."

(A/N: Self-insert! Keeell eeeet!)

"Please help me, Miss. SC." The hybrid couldn't have been any older than fourteen.

She nodded, taking out a knife, and cute the little chameleon free. The girl squealed happily, hugged the teenager, and, after 'SC' had given her the knife, ran off to hide.

"Wait until your cousin gets back, kid, then use the knife to free her."

Jade bobbed her head up and down as she disappeared.

An hour or so later, R.K. returned, with Azillen, his journey fruitless. He had become annoyed of wandering around aimlessly, (A/N: FOR SHAME!), and had decided to up things a notch, particularly, by threatening Jade again.
However, he was met with quite a shock.

"She's gone!"

He dropped Az, and started searching, not even bothering to tie her up. Big mistake. She scrambled to her feet, concentrating.
The space between Robo Knux and herself began to swirl, to form a pattern. Then, it was no longer air. The space was darkening, forming a portal. But not just any portal. A banishing portal, to the Center of the Void.
RK felt himself being dragged towards it, and so matter how much his engines churned, he could free himself from the pull. He cursed, his green eyes burning at the hybrid, with such contempt and rage, that she shuddered. But it didn't distract her from the task at hand. R.K. did the only thing he could do, he unsheathed his blasters, and fired at her. To the surprise to both of them, the blasts went right through it, and smacked into Az, who was sent flying into a tree. They didn't hurt her, going through the Void had removed any dangerous elements, but the portal disintegrated, into air once more. Az tried to get up, but was shoved back down, rather violently, by RK.

"I warned you," he hissed, pushing her face-first, to the ground. Once she was lying down, Robo Knux wedged his fingers between her shell and the flesh beneath it, worming his digits further in.
Az was confused, but said nothing. He repeated the action with the other hand, then after a pause, gave a mighty pull.

Her shell came off with a loud rip, and pain came down upon her like a bolt of lightning.
Az had felt pain before. Many times. But nothing, nothing came close to this. She had to clamp her mouth shut to keep herself from screaming. She felt her eyes water, but managed to blink the water into non-existence. She was biting her lip so hard, she tasted blood. Her shell clatter to the ground, the inside coated with blood and skin. She would not give in. She would not give the Mecha Bot the satisfaction of surrender. RK saw her struggle, and raked his knuc-claws down her aching, exposed back.
It took Az every bit of self-control to stop her from screaming.

"What's the matter?" he jeered, rather cruelly, "Tender spot?"

She said nothing. She would not yield. Her pupils dilated and expanded, in pure pain. Her breath came out in jagged shudders.

"Enough of this," he proclaimed, tying her up again. He wanted power. And if he couldn't have the Super Emerald... then…

"Goodbye, Azillen. Perhaps we will meet again."

He took off.

Once he was out of sight, Jade scurried to her cousin.

"He hurt you, didn't he?"

Jade forgot her fear, anger replacing it.

"Jade… free… me…"

The little chameleon obeyed, sawing at the cables with her knife. They snapped open.

"Go… get… help."

"Where are you going?" the five-year old, who was about Eliza's height, if not a bit taller, inquired.

"The Floating Island."

Az had a pretty good idea to where R.K. was off to, and she hobbled to the nearest transporter, which was in a city about five minutes away.

It didn't take Az long to reach her destination- the Hidden Palace.
She let out a gasp of horror, however, when she came across an unconscious Espio, who was battered, and laying sprawled out on the ground.

"I'm too late…"

"Actually," countered a familiar voice, "You're right on time."

Before she could blink, R.K. had ploughed into her, again, and slammed her into the wall. She winced, then glared.

"So we meet again, Az. What's this? A shell-less armadillo. Pity, pity."

"Half armadillo," she managed to rasp, indignantly.

"Oh, come on, Az," the robot coaxed, pushing her into the wall, "I'm sure you have a lovely scream."

"Never."

She would not surrender. He would not win. She would not give him the satisfaction of showing her pain. Their eyes locked, at met. R.K.'s remained still, he had no intention of hypnotizing her. To the inexperienced viewer, it seemed as though they were engaged in a staring contest. But in reality, R.K. was grinding the hybrid's sore back against the rocky wall, waiting for her to snap.

"I will not surrender," she thought, glaring passionately at the twisted robot. Aloud, she told him:

"You can't break me."

"We'll see about that."

R.K. was getting annoyed now. He wanted her to yield, or to scream. He wanted her to be afraid. To quiver. But, she continued to fix him a challenging, almost smug look. In reality, she was losing her fight. She kept still, tight, and stiff. She would not surrender.

"Put her down, you creep!" Knux's voice cut through their little mental fight like a knife, as he dived at them. R.K. complied, letting Az drop, and backhanded Knuckles across the room.

Azi rushed off to the Chaos Camber, where the Master Emerald was situated, and so did RK, after watching a boulder fall on top of Knuckles.
Az was standing in front of the Master Emerald, right hand placed on its surface, and left one outstretched in the robotic echidna's direction.

"Don't come a step closer," she warned.

R.K. grinned, and slammed his right foot on the ground.

"Step."

"Please, Master Emerald," she thought, "Help me."

At that moment, Az's hand lit up with an albino light.

"Your light attack won't work on me."

But it wasn't only her hand that was glowing. So was the Master Emerald.
Before Robo Knux could dodge, a thick beam of energy emitted from the palm of the Guardian, collided with his body, and he was thrown backwards, into the wall.

"Try that again, would you?"

RK knew that he had lost. His digital eyes locked onto her person, fiercely. His hull fizzed from the attack.

"You got lucky. I'll be back." 

He exited the Chaos Chamber, and then, the island, probably heading back to Robotropolis for repairs.
Knux entered, as did Mighty. 
The first thing they noticed was the lack of shell on Az's back.

"What happened to your shell?"

"RK ripped it off," she responded, wearily.

Mighty, being an armadillo himself, winced heavily in sympathy.

"Ouch."

"Speaking of R.K., he left, didn't he?"

She nodded.

"But he'll be back- in the sequel!"

They stared. She shrugged.

"It's just a saying I have." (A/N: Actually, it's a saying I have.)

If only she knew how right she was.

The End.
And the moral of this story is.. Az is short. What? She is!

Random ranting by the author:
You do know that I lost half of this story when a virus hit my computer, don't you? Well, it's done now. Sorry it's late. Az may or may not become Knux's love interest. We'll see. You, the reader decides!
*is flamed*
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Be well and behave yourselves, now :D

Timeline:

**Enter Eliza: Nursed illegally in a village controlled by ruthless and evil dogs, Mighty the Armadillo finds himself far away from home. And the only way to get back home, is to overthrow the Cellos, which is next to impossible.

**Duty Calls: Knuckles and Tails have mysteriously disappeared, and Sonic heads to the Floating Island, searching for clues. But what he does find, is far more than he bargained for. A rogue echidna, an old friend, a few friendly faces, and the infamous Metal Sonic!

**Friends 'Till the End: Tails and Eliza have been forbidden to see each other. But when Metal-Sonic threatens to blow up the island, the two know that they have to stop him, together, even if it means disobeying Mighty or even the cost of their very lives......

The Dark Vengeance Re-Write: Enerjak's back, and craving vengeance! Using Knuckles and the Chaotix as pawns in his evil scheme, the twisted echidna plans to take over the Floating Island, no, the world!

The Weak, the Strong and the Mighty: When the island is threatened by Volgo the. Stoat, an old enemy of Mighty, Mighty must go solo to stop him. However, he isn't as solo as he thinks he is.... But why is Kiibi helping Eliza, and who is that strange armadillo who saved her..?

Eliza's Birthday Bash: Eliza's tenth birthday has arrived. The Chaotix, and the Freedom Fighters are planning a surprise party. They're not the only ones who want to surprise Eliza, and this particular surprise isn't going to pleasant....

The Armour of an Echidna: Shay-lu is back, and he's geared for revenge against Mighty. The sneaky weasel's got the perfect sinister plot in mind, and he's planning to attack Mighty's 'weaker' side....

A Squirrel Walks Among us: An urgent e-mail from Axel draws Eliza into the heart of Robotropolis, and straight into Robotnik's waiting hands. (Prelude to Trapped)

Trapped: All has been quiet since Shay-lu's attack. Too quiet. Just as Knuckles starts getting used to normality, a new enemy appears. Assassinations appear all over the island, and it's up to the Guardian to find the killer, and stop him.

Behind Steel Doors: Metal-Sonic is back… with a vengeance! The robot, long thought to be dead, has returned, with upgrades, an invulnerability to the resistance, and a steely rage. His first action: locking Tails, Ray, Eliza, Amy and Shamus in 
the abandoned city of Robotropolis

Desert Rose: A sick echidna girl comes to work with Shadow and Metal Sonic in Robotropolis. Metal, reminded of Knux's treachery, decides to keep an eye on her... but things change.. The two hedgehogs find themselves growing fond of the girl... and then, the trouble begins.. (Prelude to Second Nature)

Second Nature: A competitive treasure-hunting race, quickly turns into a nightmare for the Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix when Robotnik unleashes his prize creations, instructing them with the sole purpose of collecting the Chaos Emeralds for his diabolical plan, and destroying every single mobian standing in their paths.

Simplicity: A new girl comes to the island, claiming to be a Guardian of some sort. But things take a more nauseating twist when Robo-Knux kidnaps the girl, in an effort to manipulate her and her abilities...

*Corrosion: Robotropolis is taken over by a mysterious being, and it becomes a base of operating for the new dictator. Mobius slowly becomes taken over by this powerful unknown. The Chaotix, and what's left of the Freedom Fighters soon learn, that the only hope for Mobius lies with a certain Mecha Bot...

*Hot Flashes: A wounded puppy appears on the Floating Island. A member of the Chaotix takes him in, and the puppy proves to have a thirst for destruction. Knuckles, suspicious, researches the dog's identity.. and is shocked at what he finds... (working desc)

*Sunrise: A young Guardian runs away from home, on a strange quest. Sonic decides that he wants to accompany her. And that's where the mayhem begins..

*Requiem: He's back! Dimitri strikes again, this time as a cybernetic echidna, once again backed up by the Dark Legion! But he's more than ready for Knuckles and the Chaotix this time..

*Parallel: Amy Rose's murder is just the beginning of a series of death-attempts, meant to frame Sonic. It works, and the hedgehog soon finds himself exiled from Knothole. Meanwhile, Metal is having similar problems...

*Double-Blade: A double fic. Limrik tries to sell Eliza to Robo Knux, and his plan backfires. He soon finds himself having to rely on the echidna, if he ever wants to escape RK's wrath. While all this is happening, somebody is desperately trying to make Az lose Guardianship, and it's up to her and Knux to find out who, and stop them.

*Back to the Future: Sonic is transported five years into the future, where a new dictator rules. There is a small band of rebels, but they are losing bitterly. Can he once again bring hope amidst the despair and desolation that is Mobius?

*Psychosis: After all of the hardships that he's suffered, Knuckles the Echidna breaks down. And Robotnik plans to take advantage of the moment.

*Shades of Red: Knuckles is killed on a mission to Robotropolis, to find his father. As if things weren't bad enough, the remainder of the Dark Legion chooses that moment to strike the Floating Island.

*Bondage: A chameleon, who claims to be Espio's cousin, arrives at the Island, wanting Espio to join his 'organization'. Little does the chameleon know, the 'organization' is a group of conspirators, aiming for complete takeover!


*: Has yet to be written.
**: not finished yet, and I don't think they will be.